Arrange a meeting of community members through Neighborhood Watch or another civic association and work together to develop a community disaster preparedness plan. Begin with a discussion of the following topics:
Potential terrorist targets. Look at potential terrorist targets in or near your community (e.g., power or chemical plants, airports, high-profile landmarks, bridges, government buildings). Discuss the likelihood and consequences of an attack on any of these targets. Contact your local emergency management office (you can find the number in your phone directory or check your county/state website) for more information.
Terrorism prevention. Community members should know what kind of behavior and incidents to look for and how to report suspicious activities.
Community warning system. Community members should know their local warning system. In the event of a disaster, local radio and television stations will provide information on evacuation routes, temporary shelters, and other emergency procedures. Depending on the circumstances, any one of three protective actions (shelter-in-place, prepare-to-evacuate, or evacuate) may be appropriate.
Neighborhood directory. Create a list of home and work phone numbers and e-mail addresses for all community members, noting contact information and plans for children and seniors who may be home alone during emergency situations. Include important phone numbers, such as the local emergency management office and the non-emergency numbers for the police department, fire department, and FBI field office.
Members with special needs. Identify members of the community who may need special assistance during an emergency. These members might include seniors, individuals who are hearing or mobility impaired, and children who are home alone. Develop a plan to assist them during an emergency.
Members with special skills or equipment. Identify members of the community who have special skills (e.g., medical, technical) or equipment that they would be willing to share in the event of an emergency. Consider CPR and first-aid training for community volunteers. To find CPR and first-aid training in your area, contact a local hospital community outreach program or the American Red Cross.
Mail safety. Community members should know how to identify and protect themselves from suspicious mail.
Caring for pets. Community members should know what to do with pets in an emergency.
Property protection. Community members should have working fire extinguishers and know how to shut off their utilities such as gas, electricity, and water in the event of an emergency. House address numbers should be large and well-lighted so emergency personnel can find homes easily. Consider having a representative from a local utility company or fire department speak to your neighborhood watch group about property protection during a disaster.
Evacuation procedures. Develop a neighborhood evacuation plan. Contact the local emergency management office and find out ahead of time what evacuation routes have been designated for your area. Distribute maps to community members. Become familiar with major and alternate routes to leave your area before a disaster.
Local shelters. Provide the location of all county shelters to community members. (Shelters are often located in public school buildings.) Include their pet policies, if possible. Also, identify any community members who would be willing to provide shelter to others in an emergency.
School emergency plans. Find out what your local school district and daycare centers plan to do in the event of an emergency. Many school districts stagger school hours so schools can share buses, and therefore might not be able to evacuate all schools at the same time. Make sure children know where to meet parents in the event schools are evacuated or an early release occurs.
Family emergency plans. Encourage community members to develop family preparedness plans that cover emergency contact information for family members, predetermined meeting places, home evacuation procedures, emergency pet care, safe storage of food and water, and assembling disaster supplies kits.